It seems one of the newest scams going is for people to open a Facebook account, or an account on a similar social networking site, in the guise of being a well known poker pro. The scam begins when these players start asking for money transfers between poker sites, a small loan, or even a piece of their action.
First off, let me pronounce that there is no legitimate poker player who would publicly ask for money –poker players take care of these matters in private, and they are done within a small circle of trusted associates. No matter how legitimate the person seems, or how enticing the offer, make sure you protect yourself and your money.In no way should you give anyone instant poker credibility simply because of a name and a picture on a social networking site.
How bad has this scam gotten? Well, I’ve been friends with no less than 12 Daniel Negreanu’s; Cardplayer is reporting a scam of this sort where the offender posed as highly respected poker pro Willie Tann; and I’ve received messages from a “Mike Matusow” in the past about buying a piece of his action in the Sunday tournaments.
Remember, it only takes a few minutes, a quick Google search for a picture, and a quick stop at Wikipedia for someone to create a bogus Facebook account. Don’t get fooled by these scammers.
Comments
Thanks for the info on the scam. I work on an eldercare blog and we try to highlight new scams that are out there. I will definitely be looking into this one.
We recently did a post that you might enjoy on how to keep seniors safe on social networks. They often fall victim to false account scams (much like the poker one you mentioned).
You can check out that post if you want at www dot rightathome dot net / seniorhomecare.
Keep up the great posts,
Bill
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